Page 106 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

USDA Announces USD714m in Grants for Rural Broadband Expansion

residents, farmers and business owners communities. Thanks to President Biden’s
in 19 states to reliable, affordable high Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can ensure
speed fixed broadband networks. The 12 that rural communities have access to the
June announcement includes investments internet connectivity needed to continue
in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, to expand the economy from the bottom
Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, up and middle out and to make sure rural
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New America remains a place of opportunity
Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South to live, work, and raise a family.’ Under
Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Washington. President Biden’s Investing in America
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack commented: agenda, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
has announced USD714 million in grants ‘High speed internet is a key to prosperity includes USD65 billion in funding to grant
and loans to connect thousands of rural for people who live and work in rural everyone in the US fixed broadband access.

FCC Considers Using 42GHz Band for Small Wireless ISPs

The Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) has launched a proceeding to
consider innovative sharing models
for a 500MHz block of spectrum in the
42GHz band. The regulator notes that its
examination of sharing models in high-
band spectrum could not only inform how
this band might best be used – particularly
by smaller wireless ISPs – but also inform
future uses of sharing models in spectrum
management. As the spectrum between
42GHz-42.5GHz is largely unused, the FCC
has proposed to explore an innovative, non-
exclusive spectrum access model, which is
ideal for experimentation due to the lack of
incumbent licensees.

World Bank Units finalize Safaricom Ethiopia Support

A pair of World Bank Group units revealed investment will be in Global Partnership for mobile connectivity”. “The Ethiopian
financial backing for Safaricom Ethiopia, for Ethiopia in return for a minority stake telecommunications market, as well as the
with its investment arm set to pump $157.4 in the venture, which has Vodafone Group country’s economy and society, will benefit
million into the operator’s parent company and its Africa-based affiliates among its substantially from equitable, high-quality
and provide a loan facility of $100 million. other shareholders. It will also provide internet access and improved financial
In a statement from the World Bank Group’s the loan facility. Its expected investment inclusion.” Safaricom Ethiopia launched
International Finance Corporation (IFC) was revealed by the IFC in September its first services in 2022, becoming the
and Multilateral Investment Guarantee 2022, when it disclosed a proposed sum country’s first private mobile operator
Agency (MIGA), the pair explained the of $160 million. MIGA will provide ten- and providing competition to state-owned
support was designed to aid ongoing year guarantees of $1 billion to cover Ethio Telecom. Authorities are expected to
construction of Safaricom’s network in the investments made by the operator’s reignite the search for a third player for the
country. Ultimately, the backers believe other investors. IFC VP of industries market later this year, alongside potentially
this will improve access to affordable and Mohamed Gouled said it hoped to “help selling a stake in the incumbent.
reliable internet services. The IFC’s equity the company create a competitive market

106 MAY-JUNE 2023